Recently, China has rejected South Korea’s recommendation to “provide appropriate protection to foreign nationals who have defected, including North Koreans,” and has asserted that “North Korean defectors are not refugees.” As the Chinese government has reaffirmed its position that “it will not recognize North Korean defectors as refugees,” North Korean women in China are expressing extreme anxiety.
Daily NK has recently reached out to 30 North Korean women living in China through local sources in various ways in order to hear their voices in relation to China’s recent submission of a response to the Fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
North Korean defectors expressed their gloomy feelings, even mentioning the possibility of extreme measures, at the Chinese authorities’ attitude that North Korean defectors are illegal residents who are not subject to protection and are therefore not subject to the principle of prohibition of forced repatriation.
“I need to prepare some poison”
Of the 30 female North Korean defectors we met this time, 20 responded that they “should prepare poison” when they realized that there was a possibility of forced repatriation since China announced that it would not recognize North Korean defectors as refugees. The reason was that “if there is any sign that we will be repatriated, it would be better to die.”
Seven of them also said, “We will carry poison with us even in normal times,” and expressed their intention to be prepared to end their lives at any time in case they are caught and repatriated. They would rather become homeless souls in China than be sent back to North Korea and treated worse than human beings.
“I will go to Korea even if I die”
In addition, 26 out of 30 female North Korean defectors who contacted this newspaper said, “We have now decided to go to South Korea even if it means death.” Their story is that they decided to go to South Korea even if they were caught because they decided that they could no longer expect to live safely in China.
In particular, some North Korean female defectors in their 20s who had held out hope of obtaining temporary Chinese citizenship expressed disappointment, saying, “It is highly unlikely that the Chinese authorities, who view North Korean defectors as criminals who illegally crossed the border, will grant temporary citizenship.”
“International community attention and support urgently needed”
Thirty North Korean women who have suffered from extreme anxiety and fear since the large-scale forced repatriation at the end of last year said in one voice, “This time, we have painfully realized our situation again and have despaired.” As the content of the Chinese government’s UPR recommendation response is rapidly spreading to North Korean women in China through various channels such as domestic and foreign newspapers and broadcasts, their anxiety and fear appear to be growing even more.
A local source in China emphasized, “30 North Korean women in China expressed deep despair and fear in response to China’s response, saying, ‘It is regrettable that they were born as Chosun (North Korean) people.’” The source added, “This is a time when the international community is in dire need of urgent attention and support for these people, who are prepared to die on the spot if they are caught and repatriated to North Korea while going to South Korea.”
In January, South Korea recommended that China “provide appropriate protection to foreign nationals who have abandoned their nationality, including North Koreans,” at the UPR held at the UN Geneva Office. In response, China recently stated in its response that it rejects South Korea’s recommendation, stating that “North Koreans who illegally enter China for economic reasons are not refugees.”
In addition, China responded to South Korea’s recommendation to “respect international norms such as the principle of prohibiting forced repatriation” by saying, “We accept and are in the process of implementing it.” This is interpreted as implying the Chinese government’s position that North Korean defectors are not refugees and therefore are not subject to the principle of prohibiting forced repatriation in the first place.
Source: www.dailynk.com
